I’m looking for a nice fancy pub or hotel that does great food for a birthday treat for my wife, max 2hrs drive from Huddersfield.

There have been threads on here previously but they’re pre-Covid and many things have changed since then.  We’ve been to Cottage in the Wood and The Traddock before so preferably not those places.

As long it’s not too far to drive after work on a Friday night, has comfy rooms and does great food and beer/wine we’ll be happy. It’d be even better if we can ride or walk from the door.

Any recommendations?

Thanks

Parker’s arms in bowland

Freeman’s at wiswell

Not sure about accommodation at either, but there’s a nice hotel in clitheroe that’s a short taxi ride from wiswell.

Forest of bowland is prime roadie territory or theres gisburn trail centre down the road

The Black Swan at Oldstead, North Yorkshire. Michelin star tasting menu, everything grown on site, nice rooms, lovely breakfast the next morning. Not cheap though, and you’ll need to book a fair way in advance.

Near Sutton Bank if you fancy a ride.

Angel @ Hetton, Inn at Whitewell. Second Parkers Arms and Freemasons

Inn at Whitewell is a short ride from the Trough of Bowland an iconic local climb.

Oops forgot to say that we’re not huge fans of the tasting menus. We’ve had them in 4 or 5 places and although they are incredible, we’d rather just have an amazing 3 or 4 course meal than 13 different things which are technically stunning.

Angel @ Hetton

Bimble around Weets Top and Malham from the doorstep.

Blue Lion at East Witton – https://www.thebluelion.co.uk/

Much nearer home, Woodman at Thunder Bridge, Pickled Pheasant at Holmbridge (both have accommodation)

Drunken Duck, South Lakes? Had a couple of nights there with the other half for her 40th. With food. Top drawer.

Woodman at Thunder Bridge

Was actually there for a wedding last weekend, seemed to tick the required boxes. Only ate breakfast in the pub part, but it seemed to a good standard. Local friends say it’s a good place to spend a Sunday walking to.

Re: The Woodman and Pickled Pheasant – they’re great but she wants to go away for the weekend somewhere different

Shibden Mill near Halifax or The Three Acres at Shelley.

Three Acres was brilliant pre COVID.

Sorry, I don’t think my original post was clear enough. It’s for a weekend stay.

It was easy pre-Covid ‘cos everywhere was open and there were lots of recent reviews to help you choose somewhere. Prices are certainly up since our last posh weekend away. 😱

Old Hall Inn, Whitehough, nr Chinley

https://www.old-hall-inn.co.uk/

Food is awesome. Beer is great. Staff are excellent. Edge of the peak district for great walking and biking

@nbt – thanks

I know it well, my brother & family are nearby in WhaleyVegas and we often go there with them. It’s a great pub!

Woodman at Thunder Bridge

Was actually there for a wedding last weekend, seemed to tick the required boxes. Only ate breakfast in the pub part, but it seemed to a good standard. Local friends say it’s a good place to spend a Sunday walking to.

Storthes Hall right across the river from The Woodman. Great downhill spot despite recent felling.

The Woodman

nothing to add other than I grew up 10mins walk from there, and there’s some big DH trails not far off 😊 edit, beaten to it…

Reports from the parents say The Three Acres isn’t what it was.

Second for the Drunken Duck- great food and good walking and riding.

Daffodil hotel at Grasmere. nice food, ace hotel.
ace beer at Tweedies and riding galore.

@ElShalimo

<span style=”font-size: 0.8rem;”>I know it well, my brother & family are nearby in WhaleyVegas and we often go there with them. It’s a great pub!</span>

Have you tried The Swan Inn at Kettleshulme?  I’ve not been for a while but it has a very good reputation. Also Kambuja, the Cambodian restaurant here in Marple is great, worth a trip for a family meal

@nbt – Not been to The Swan for a long time. My brother often walks over there for a cheeky dog walk pint or pub lunch. Lucky sod!

@ton

Tweeeeeedies soooo many post ride sessions and a wobble down the back road to Ambleside with those brewery brothers from Huddersfield 🤪

Any more ideas?
thanks

Crab & Lobster at Asenby, near Thirsk.
Have had dinner there which was great but not stayed; Crab Manor, the onsite hotel, looks good.
As the name implies, menu is heavy on fish/crustaceans/molluscs.
Other than walking in their grounds it’s a short drive to Thirsk/Northallerton/York and about an hour to the coast.

Some great recommendations on this thread, and I’ve eaten at a worryingly high proportion of them, though a bit of a range ( as in I’ve spent less on weekends in Barcelona than I have on a recent overnighter at the Cottage in the Wood. Handy for Grizedale Pike as it is.) Tho not the Daffodil, sorry ton, which struck me as an okay big hotel with food a bit below par for prices.

Anyway, this is what you want.

http://www.thestaratharome.co.uk/

Relaxed but nice place to poke about. Posh rooms over the road. Thatch, old leather everything Michelin star (not sure this will have been regained post fire, but looks like they’ve done a full on restoration of the place) but prices are not insane. I’ve had some great meals here though not since the fire. Would have booked now if I’d not on reading half this thread just made a reservation at Shibden.

Been here a lot for food many times but not for a year maybe https://www.bestpubinthedales.co.uk/ white lion, cray, does rooms that look posh from the outside and the food is more restaurant than pub (nice touches, Yorkshire amuse bouche, home made chocks etc), and it’s good as a pub. Bit remote up a hill.

General Tarleton at Ferrensby? Not been for a few years but used to be excellent.

The Hand at Llanarmon | Country Hotel & Spa in North Wales (thehandhotel.co.uk)

Lovely little pub. Lovely part of the world too. Google says 2hrs 5 mins from Hudders

This place is a bit more old fashioned but good grub Pen-y-Dyffryn Hotel | Shropshire Country Hotel | Good Hotel Guide (peny.co.uk)

Ive always thought the Drunken Duck was overpriced for what they actually provide. Was much nicer when it used to be a proper pub 🙁

Crikey the pub in Cray has changed!

The last time I was in there I’d been ghyll scrambling and was covered in muck, dust, sheep poo and soaking wet.

@scuttler

scuttler
Full Member

@ton

Tweeeeeedies soooo many post ride sessions and a wobble down the back road to Ambleside with those brewery brothers from Huddersfield 🤪

Posted 17 hours ago

ask Johnny about Noggin losing his bike on the way back from the boozer.
one of 20 years worth of messy riding/drinking weekends in the lakes

Timble Inn | Award Winning Restaurant & Luxury B&B Rooms – The Timble Inn

Is quite nice, although to be fair not been there for a little while, but not far from Hudders

Mrs FD and I have always liked the Devonshire Arms at Bolton Abbey. It s really nice and chilled in the evenings when the crowds have gone

Crikey the pub in Cray has changed!

The last time I was in there I’d been ghyll scrambling and was covered in muck, dust, sheep poo and soaking wet.

I think you’d still get a pint. Maybe not on a weekend evening. I pass by on the bike now and again. I’ve done a couple of the ghyll scrambles strans being the classic and good for kids, but for no good reason one March or Feb we once did cray gill itself, which involved ropes and what would have been easy climbing had it not been on vertical slime. I could only finish the last waterfall pitch by putting my hand on the lip of the falls, which proceeded to reroute down my jacket sleeve and out of the bottom of my trousers with a pleasant cooling effect.

The pub was bought by a couple who did it up and ran it pretty much in its current form, and i think they still own the property at least but I heard they moved on to do similar in france, the business being taken on by another v nice young couple, not long before covid which was rough. Eaten there a few times since then and it’s good.

Timble Inn | Award Winning Restaurant & Luxury B&B Rooms – The Timble Inn

I can’t comment on the food, but a great location. You might even bump into Gareth Southgate if you walk around the nearby reservoirs!

@johnx2 – that day there were 6 of us and 4 fell in the narrow deep ghyll/gill after the waterfall abseil

I thought I’d be okay being long of limb but at one point it gets to about 5-6ft wide and was just too much of a stretch so I fell in head first for a very cold stinky bath. They’re cracking routes but we should have waited for a prolonged dry spell.

I can’t comment on the food, but a great location. You might even bump into Gareth Southgate if you walk around the nearby reservoirs!

near Stainburn too.

Crab & Lobster Restaurant

Was always spoken of in high regard when I lived in Harrogate, though I’ve never been.

Maynard in Grindleford or George in Hathersage. Both owned by same owner. Hathersage might be a nice option as can also then eat at the Maazi (assuming you like a curry) one night if you fancy. Lots of walking in both locations.

Another vote for the Crab and Lobster.

How about L’Enclume at Grange Over Sands? Sat Nav says 1hr 40 or thereabouts.

2 Michelin stars and rooms available.
https://www.lenclume.co.uk/

Having looked at many places I’m still shocked how much rooms cost now at restaurants with rooms.

1 night at some places is double what I paid at for an entire weekend at The Cottage in the Wood in 2019

I might go to Wimpy instead

🙃

L’enclume has 3 stars now doesn’t it?

And is £250 a head. Plus wine. Plus accommodation.

Other restaurants in the Rogan empire are very good though.

Prashad.

I have spoken.